Quick Shabbat recap: Saturday was spent mostly at the pool hangin' with the locals. There was a small group of young internationals who had recently made Aliyah and are now serving in the IDF and living on Kibbutz Malakai. They quickly bonded with members of our group. We also spent a good several hours in a heavy discussion about Jewish identity from both the American and Israeli perspectives. Our Israelis (guides included) were taken aback by the deep level of thought and intellect displayed by our students. Big ups!

Shalom! Ah'halahn! Yesterday was as expected--overwhelming excitement masked with sleep-deprived faces smiling despite travel exhaustion. But we are here and the group couldn't be more excited! My name is Dan Levine and I am one fourth of the madrachim for bus 439. This is my seventh trip as a madrich (and 9th bus!). Today we are driving through the Hula Valley towards Jila Bun for a morning of hiking. The group has thus far been very impressed by the cows on the side of the road. All in good time and their minds will be blown with the gorgeous environs we're about to enter them into.